Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 233: Countdown 2
As night fell, Yan Guofeng knocked on Jiang He's door, with American Guy Jones trailing closely behind him like a shadow.
Jiang He and his companion were still awake, unable to sleep. The ventilation window was slightly ajar, allowing the night breeze to slip in and gently stir the curtains. The room was dark, illuminated only by the dim moonlight filtering through the window, adding a touch of chilliness to the atmosphere. Earlier, in preparation for an experiment, the technicians had cut off the lighting supply for the floor. There were plenty of emergency supplies in storage, and candles as thick as a forearm had been distributed to everyone.
A single short candle could light up a small space, but it could not dispel the gloom in their hearts. The flames flickered throughout the floor, casting shadows of various shapes on the ground through the Glass Workplace. Soldiers and Field Personnel gathered in small groups under the shadows, lost in thought. The Research Team and technical staff sat or lay silently in the workplace, staring blankly at the dancing candlelight, their eyes filled with pity—pity for themselves.
"Why isn't anyone lighting up?" Yan Guofeng casually asked as he found a chair by the moonlight. American Guy Jones was still fumbling around blindly, knocking something over and creating a clatter.
Song Yao got up to find him a stool and gestured for Jiang He to light a candle. Yan Guofeng quickly waved his hand to stop them, saying, "No need to light it; it's fine as it is."
Jiang He exchanged glances with his companion, unsure of what this high-ranking officer's late-night visit meant. They had only arrived that morning and were not very familiar with the office. Initially, they thought about getting a glass of water but reconsidered; water was a scarce resource. If they were stuck here for an extended period, every drop counted—better to conserve than to put on airs.
The four of them sat in silence in the dark, staring at each other as if waiting for someone to speak first.
"Is there something you need?" Jiang He asked impatiently, unable to tolerate this silent standoff any longer.
"I came to check on you," Yan Guofeng adjusted his sitting position and rummaged through his pockets before asking, "Do you mind if I smoke?"
"Go ahead; if it's convenient, pass me one," Jiang He replied.
Yan Guofeng chuckled lightly; with a flicker of flame, he lit his cigarette. American Guy Jones reached out for it and took two deep puffs, his expression somewhat grim. Yan Guofeng lit another for himself and tossed the cigarette pack to Jiang He. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Before you came here... did anyone brief you on anything?"
"Huh?" Jiang He raised an eyebrow, thinking about how it was already this late and this old man still had time for espionage.
"Don't get me wrong," Yan Guofeng sensed his confusion and explained. "I just wanted to know if you have a backup plan. After all, you two are so special; the Establishment wouldn't just let you fall here."
"Nothing special; if it's our time to go, then we go," Jiang He replied with a self-deprecating smile. Seeing that Yan Guofeng didn't respond further, he lost interest in talking more.
The room was dim, but it didn't matter to Jiang He and Song Yao, as they were quite special. Among the four people present, only they possessed the extraordinary ability of "black-and-white vision." Yan Guofeng was reluctant to turn on the lights, perhaps not wanting the two young people to see his disheveled state. This middle-aged man, who held a hollow title, looked haggard; in just one day, he seemed to have aged ten years. He thought he could hide his despair and defeat in the darkness so that those around him wouldn't notice, but in reality, all his emotions were written on his face. Others didn't even need to look closely; they could hear it in his tone.
Song Yao quietly leaned against Jiang He. He remained silent, and so did she, as they silently observed the two people across from them, peering into their thoughts that they believed were well concealed but were actually laid bare.
"That's truly unfortunate," Yan Guofeng coughed twice, seemingly annoyed. A half-burnt cigarette fell from his fingers to the floor. He lifted his foot to extinguish it, grinding it down hard. Perhaps feeling bored again, he awkwardly rubbed his hands together, hesitating several times as if he wanted to say something.
"Mr. Yan... just say what you need to say; don't hold back," Jiang He said, noticing the man's conflicted expression. He guessed that this old fellow had something on his mind but found it hard to voice it. So he took the initiative to give him an opening: "Given the current situation, just ask whatever you want; I'll do my best to answer."
"Nothing much," Yan Guofeng said with drooping eyelids, revealing nothing of his thoughts. After a moment of silence, he murmured, "I still hold a glimmer of hope. But since you don't have a backup plan... I'm afraid we're doomed."
"What are your plans? Just sit and wait for death?" Jiang He asked.
"Perhaps. The floors are already sealed off; zombies won't be able to come up for a while. We don't have any planes, so we can't leave," Yan Guofeng sighed heavily and lamented, "Our logistical supplies can last for a while longer, but it's meaningless. Living another half month or a month only to die afterward is probably harder to accept."
"What about the others? There are still Field Personnel outside and soldiers from the Establishment—haven't you thought about breaking out?" Jiang He frowned. He sensed the despair in Yan Guofeng's words, which began to stir unease within him.
In the past, they had faced many difficulties, but no one had ever given up. Although they weren't good at shouting slogans or offering motivational speeches, each person still harbored a fighting spirit deep inside. It might sound idealistic, but this very spirit was what had allowed them to escape from dire situations repeatedly. If one lost hope entirely within themselves, what could they possibly rely on? Although Yan Guofeng was a mere figurehead now, he had once been the leader of a significant organization. Perhaps the shadow of his former glory made him feel diminished, but he shouldn't be so easily defeated by adversity.
"You saw what happened during the day; the armed personnel at the Cbd Defense Line outnumber us here two to one. Yet not a single person managed to retreat," Yan Guofeng leaned back in his chair with closed eyes, his voice filled with profound loneliness. "This is Beijing—the very heart of the city. During this time, zombies have become saturated; there’s no place left for living humans here. The only way to leave is through air support—but unfortunately... we have nothing left."
"Is that why you came looking for us?" Jiang He sighed inwardly and could somewhat understand this man's troubled heart. They had originally reached an agreement with the Establishment and were on the verge of setting sail with the fleet for a new beginning when everything fell apart at a critical moment—an unforeseen problem shattered their beautiful vision right before their eyes; anyone would find that unbearable.
"Sort of; I wanted to see what you two were up to," Yan Guofeng said as he stood up and stretched lazily. "Young people are still better than an old guy like me; at least your mindset is better than mine. Well then, I won't bother you any longer. You should be able to get a good night's sleep tonight; we can discuss things further tomorrow." With that, he walked toward the door. As soon as American Guy saw his companion leaving, he hurriedly got up to follow him. This guy hadn’t said a word since entering; if it weren't for the faintly glowing cigarette butt, Jiang He might have almost forgotten about his presence.
Once they left the room, a series of unanswered questions lingered behind.
"Is that it? They're leaving just like that?" Jiang He felt somewhat dazed and scratched his head in amusement as he turned to Song Yao beside him and asked, "Did they even say more than a few words?"
"Three or four sentences..." Song Yao shrugged and replied nonchalantly, "Maybe they really just came for a chat; all they talked about were trivial matters."
"Is this guy really thinking about ending it all?" Jiang He stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the desolate city under the night sky. He murmured, "No way, there's no point in dying; living is where the drama unfolds."
"Let's take a break. So much has happened today; it might be hard to digest all at once," Song Yao said as he locked the door and approached Jiang He from behind, wrapping his arms around him. He whispered, "We'll talk about it tomorrow. There's nothing we can do tonight; the city is pitch black, and there's no night view to enjoy."
Jiang He chuckled softly, holding onto the cool hands around his waist. He hesitated and said, "I just can't understand why they would come all this way from the Gobi Desert."
"Oh? You think it's those people?" Song Yao blinked and replied, "Who knows? It’s probably some power struggle between factions. We're just innocent victims caught in the middle."
"Who did we offend? We didn't die in the jaws of a Zombie; we're just competing with the living."
"…"
"Aso really isn't being considerate. She should at least talk some sense into her partner, who’s causing chaos every day."
"Pfft, what does Aso have to do with this? Besides, she doesn’t even know we’re wading through this mess."
"Then blame her partner; they must be insane, a total lunatic!"
"Watch your mouth! If Dong Dong hears you, he'll definitely hit you."
"Sigh,"
Comment 0 Comment Count